A mock, online grocery store created by Leonard
H. Epstein, PhD, and colleagues will provide important evidence
on how price and nutrient profiling—using the NuVal nutritional coding
system—affect food purchase decisions.

Virtual Shopping Study Informs Public Policy
Decisions

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the groundbreaking
$1.7 million Grocer-E
study is designed to help inform food-related public
policy.

Through this randomized, controlled study, an expected 800
participants will shop in a virtual online “store” in
the University at Buffalo’s behavioral medicine lab, choosing
from among more than 11,000 items.

Price and Purchase Decisions

Led by Epstein, SUNY Distinguished Professor of pediatrics, the
UB researchers will assess how nutrient profiling and price affect
food purchase behavior.

In their experimental store, they will alter prices depending on
a food’s nutritional value.

For example, they may “tax” junk foods while
subsidizing healthier foods, making them much cheaper.

Does Nutrition Influence Choice?

Researchers also will determine whether better nutrition
information at the point of purchase encourages shoppers to change
food purchasing behaviors.

In addition, they will evaluate the use of nutrition information
provided by the NuVal nutrition profiling system.

This system uses an algorithm to assign each food a nutrition
score. Scores are based on positive (fiber, vitamins, minerals) and
negative (trans fats, salt, sugar) aspects of the foods.

Epstein, who also is chief of behavioral medicine, was involved
in developing NuVal.

Consider Big Picture, Quality of Substitutions

“There’s so much talk about taxing sodas and junk
food in order to get people to buy healthy food,” says
Epstein, but “in these debates, nobody accounts for the fact
that there will be substitutions.”

“People think, ‘Just tax soda and obesity will go
away!’”

Yet, the soda drinker may substitute a fruit, energy or coffee
drink that is likely very similar to soda in terms of sugar and
calories.

“It’s the total picture that is important
here,” Epstein emphasizes. “We’re developing an
evidence base so that politicians can use the data to set public
policy.”

Families With Children Can Participate

Participants must be 19 or older and have at least one child age
2 to 18 at home.

As an incentive, they have a one-in-10 chance of winning the
groceries they select.